Page 98 of Ripple Effect

“Is there going to be a right way?” I interjected.

“Probably not,” he admitted. “But you liked having the extra excitement of the dual life. It kept your adrenaline up when the missions were over.”

“That’s a damned lie!” I shouted.

“Then tell me why you’ve been married for six years and your wife still has no fucking clue what it is we do?” Sam shouted back. “Businessmen? What the fuck do we sell?”

Swiping up the bottle on the table, I drank from it long and well before answering, “Ourselves. So people like my wife can have their dreams and never realize this country is constantly in danger.”

Sam exhaled harshly before turning his back to me. “Yeah.”

Iris wasn’t quite done though. “The woman who’s my daughter’s godmother just told me to go to hell, Cal. And that’s entirely on you. If you’d told her—”

“Then what? Every time I’d have left, Libby would have panicked!”

“But at least she’d still be in your bed and not being hit on over the strawberries because she’s not wearing her wedding rings anymore.” With that final blow, Iris stormed out of the room.

The emotional pain that tore through me was worse than the physical wound I suffered when I’d had to dive for cover when we were taking fire during an extraction and my ACL got jacked.

I’d told Libby I was playing a pickup game of basketball with my coworkers.

Her gentle teasing of “Cal, honey, you need to stop thinking you’re in your late twenties. One of these days, time isn’t going to be on your side.” All while she baked blueberry cheesecake, something that made everyone at Alliance practically weep in pleasure when I brought the leftovers in a few days later.

Back then, I scoffed at the idea time was passing by. Now, I’d give anything to live in my memories instead of the present.

Because in about an hour, the helo I’m in is about to land to go assist in a hijacking being broadcast around the world.

One which involves my wife.

68

Calhoun

Year Six - Five Years Ago from Present Day October 23 0800 Hours GMT

Tensions are high on theLassen. And it’s a safe guess that mine probably account for 50 percent of them in the conference room we’re all crowded in despite the SEAL team taking their fair share of space.

Lieutenant Parker Thornton, SEAL team leader, slams his fist down on the table. “We have no eyes and no ears. What the hell are we going into?”

I shove off the wall. Flicking my thumb at Sam, I growl, “That’s why we’re here, Lieutenant. There isn’t anything Akin can’t hack into, including theSea Force. He’ll get you the eyes and ears you need. We’re not waiting on permission.”

His eyes narrow before he says, “Jurisdiction?”

“We have it.”

“When did it come in?” His voice holds a note of disbelief. International jurisdiction is a bitch, and right now, there’s a battle happening in Washington over it.

“It came in from the moment I found out my fucking wife is on that boat.” Thornton’s jaw tightens. I slam my open palm down on the conference table. “We’ve never worked under the same rules you boys have. We’ll get you the evidence you need for orders. You just spend the time in between polishing up your knives and guns to be ready to move the minute the brass gives you your go orders.”

Pointing a finger at me, Thornton accuses, “Jesus, you’re trying to get us all court-marshaled with that attitude, Sullivan. We can’t just do a snatch and grab of your wife; there’s two hundred lives we need to account for. We need to know who we’re fighting against. Fuck, we’re FUBARed before we go in if this is the kind of support you’re planning on providing.”

Leaning in close, I bite out, “We’ve covered your ass more times than you care to admit, Thorn. I know what the damn mission is. We’re not going to let you down now.” Especially not now.

“It’s not your team I’m worried about,” he insinuates.

Yeah, well, I have to give him that one. It’s not my team I’m worried about either. I just continue to hold his stare until he scrubs his hand up and down over his face. “Don’t give me a reason to have you pulled, Cal.”

With a tight nod, I turn away. “Just lead us to the bridge. We’ll get everyone eyes and ears within the next few hours.”